Shapeshifter

In the Land of Krellion, springs bring forth dreams. Gentle rivers feed life into the land. The Wood Elves sing beautiful songs. Humans celebrate the Age of Light. It sounds like this place is in serious need of some excitement, and that's just what Turbo Technologies has in mind! ShapeShifter is a TurboDuo Super-CD-in-waiting, which features the topnotch programming work of ICOM Simulations ("Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective").

Anybody Got a Light?

Krellion's Age of Light is about to be put out by three evil brothers called the Dark Ones. Their monster army is sweeping across the land, sliming and chomping everything and everyone in its path.

You will guide the hero, Lykos, through a side-view, multi-scrolling, hack 'n' slash marathon. Lykos is blonde, buffed, and bad, but he isn't your typical kick-and-stick glamor boy hero. He can acquire the power to change into four magical creatures: the Black Panther, the Psionic Shark, the Rock Troll, and the Gold Dragon.

Like many epic fantasy quests, you'll explore mystic places above and below the ground. However, the game isn't organized into levels, so you'll be able to travel back and forth over the vast expanses of Krellion. Be prepared to encounter fantastic races!

The SuperCD will strut its stuff with sparkling graphics and great sounds.

The graphics harken back to Legendary Axe, but they're much more colorful and detailed. Digitized voices enable the denizens of Krellion to truly project their own personalities.

Getting into ShapeShifter

This CD looks like an action/adventure game that every hard-core video adventurer will want to play. ShapeShifter could be the shape of things to come.

Things are "Shaping" up for the TurboDuo. Here's a great Super CD-ROM action/adventure game called ShapeShifter.

Things Look Dark

In this hot, side-view, multi-scrolling, hack 'n' slash game, you play Lykos, a brave young man with a buffed bod. Lykos' home, the Land of Krellion, is about to be trashed into the Dark Ages by a gruesome trio from the Shadow Realm called the "Dark Ones." You must free five wizards who will give you the ability to transform into powerful Shapes: the Black Panther, the Psionic Shark, the Rock Troll, and the Gold Dragon. It's your only hope of defeating the Dark Ones and their unholy hordes.

Home, Sweet Home

Your quest begins in Lykos' hometown, where you purchase weapons and other items. In the Weapons Shop, you have three weapons to choose from-the Morning Star Mace, the Axe, and the magic Bow. You start out pretty poor, but chopping beasts and bad guys down to size fills your money bag. You can then soup up your weapons power, or even have your fortune told by the local fortune teller.

The town is also where you save your current game. However, if your life meter runs dry before you reach town - sorry!

Meet Strange New People...and Fight Them!

This epic game keeps your mind locked in with a ton of quests, which put you into contact with a rainbow of races, a multitude of monsters, and an assorted bunch of mayhem makers. For example, your first task is to save Krellion from the Spider Clan. Squishing the Spiders means you have to exterminate a huge spider monster.

Later, you enter a mountainside and drop down into an eerie realm populated by scary-looking skeleton creatures. The great bone dragon has a bone to pick with you. Still later, you encounter an Aztec-style civilization, where appearing in the correct Shape is the only way to live. You're just getting started!

Classic Cutting

ShapeShifter is a classic hack 'n' slasher with some nice twists to its game play. In general, you must run, jump, swim, and climb your way across terrain and obstacles. The game's moves feature the familiar jump and attack techniques found in other side-scrolling adventures.

Naturally, the ability to change shapes jacks up the tactics and strategy. Each Shape has special abilities, but you only remain in a Shape for three minutes. Your Shape can effect the way other characters react to you. You must find Gems which enable you to assume these different Shapes. It takes a certain number of Gems to change into each Shape. Shape time automatically extends if you have the Gems.

There's an automatic life aid, too. The interface contains a unique Sun and Moon meter, which displays day passing into night and vice versa. Every 10 minutes or so, there's an eclipse that automatically maxes out Lykos' life meter and his Shape time.

Slash, Look, and Listen

The Super CD format struts its stuff with awesome graphics and sound. The pix are tough with smooth mufti-scrolling effects. The game doesn't offer animated sequences. However, during story sequences it scrolls across some nicely detailed still images, which impart an appropriately medieval feel. The variety of graphics is impressive. The Shape-Shifter world is full of eye-catching creatures, terrains, and civilizations.

The soundtrack is great! The music features upbeat rhythms and hard rocking tunes. The characters speak with dramatic, digitized voices.

The Cutting Edge

You'd best get into Shape, video adventurers. Do your finger exercises and shake the cobwebs outta your head. ShapeShifter is a must play.